Kerry Kennedy, sister of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recounted an episode from her childhood in which he handled a snake while holding an infant and later released it into a swimming pool with children. She said the story is why
On Monday, Kerry Kennedy looked back to a moment from her childhood that she says captures the kind of risk-taking she believes doesn’t belong in a cabinet job overseeing health and safety—especially for children.
Kennedy, a sister of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recounted a story tied to his well-known fascination with animals. She described an episode at her now-adult daughter’s 4th birthday party, where she said she called her brother after she found a snake in the garden.
“He rushed over with his infant son, Aidan, in one hand, who was just a few months old, and a … pillowcase in the other,” Kennedy said, describing how her brother grabbed the snake and stuffed it into the pillowcase while still holding his child.
In her telling, Kennedy said the moment that followed turned quickly from chaotic to frightening. She said her brother then walked back toward the rest of the birthday party and reached into the bag, with the snake “just chomping on his hand,” which he pulled out to show the kids.
Kennedy said the scene escalated again when a vole appeared. She recalled that her brother grabbed the vole with his hand and put it into the bag with the snake. prompting kids to scream because they were afraid the snake would eat the vole. She then said her brother shoved his hand back into the pillowcase and grabbed the snake again—after which the snake “chomped on him a few more times.”.
Kennedy said the night didn’t end there. She said they all moved to her brother’s house, where “there were tons of kids in the swimming pool,” and that he released “this snake that had chomped on his hand into the swimming pool.”
The exchange came during an interview with Erin Burnett. who asked Kerry Kennedy about her brother’s “fascination with animals. ” referencing past viral stories involving snakes. a dead bear. roadkill and more. Kennedy said she was “so grateful to Bobby. as my older brother” for sharing “his fascination of nature” when they were young. but added. “there was another side. there was always another side.”.
She then used the memory to argue that RFK Jr. lacks the judgment she believes is required when it comes to children’s safety and care. Kennedy said her brother “has a lack of judgment when it comes to the safety and care of children.”
“Is this the person who you want running HHS? Who’s got this lack of judgment when it comes to health and safety,” she said. Kennedy added that she believes he has been “consistent about these things throughout his life,” tying the childhood story directly to her warning about his role.
The interview aired as criticism of RFK Jr.’s Cabinet position continues. with Kennedy earlier calling for her anti-vaccine sibling to quit his HHS job. Her account Monday leaned on a single. vivid image: a snake snapping in the middle of a children’s celebration. and then entering a pool filled with kids.
Kerry Kennedy Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HHS Health and Human Services snakes children safety interview Erin Burnett RFK Jr. cabinet
Wait so he was holding a baby and handling snakes?? Like that’s not “quirky,” that’s just irresponsible.
They’re acting like this proves he’s gonna endanger kids at HHS. I mean it’s a childhood story, people did weird stuff growing up. Sounds like reach to me.
The way the article says “cabinet job overseeing health and safety—especially for children” makes me think they’re judging his whole life off a snake incident. But also… if he was literally chomping on hands and pulling snakes out in front of toddlers, that’s kinda insane. Are they saying this is why RFK HHS risks loom or whatever? I’m confused because half of it is just childhood drama.
So he put a snake in a pillowcase and then a vole showed up? Bro where do they live, like a zoo escape episode. I dunno man, maybe the snake handler license should’ve come before the government job, but also these are just stories from her. Still, if he’s obsessed with animals like they say, I can see why people would worry about health stuff like food safety or whatever.